A Very Supernatural Christmas S3 Ep9
by Bad Day at Black Rock
Summary: A sudden rash of violent disappearances lead them on a hunt for Santa's shady brother.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: These fics are based on real episodes from Supernatural. The characters and plots belong to the creator and writers for the show. If you want background on the new character you can read the previous episodes.

A Very Supernatural Christmas

Kayla leaned against Sam's shoulders, trying to get a better view of his laptop. Anti-Claus, seriously? How unseasonable. They were right around the corner from Christmas and thy had to deal with Santa's evil brother. Dean had gone to get food, purposefully telling her to stay with Sam. She knew he was trying to leave them alone more, but she didn't know what he actually expected.

"So he's going to walk with a limp and smell like candy?" She pushed off of his back and walked around to sit next to him. "That's kind of stupid."

He laughed. "I'm sorry the lore is stupid."

Dean walked in and set the bag on the table. "Was I right? Is it the serial killing chimney sweep?"

"Yeah," Sam responded. "It's actually Dick Van Dyke."

"Who?"

He looked at him. "Mary Poppins…"

"Who's that?"

"Never mind."

Dean shrugged. "Turns out Walsh is the second guy to be nabbed out of his house this month."

Kayla got up off the couch and went to inspect the bag-junk food. "Was he yanked up the chimney too?"

"Don't know, witnesses say they heard a thump on the roof though."

"Those are some pissed off reindeer."

"Tell me about it. So what do you think we're dealing with?"

Sam turned towards him. "Actually we have an idea. It's gonna sound crazy."

Dean shrugged. "What could you say to me that sounds crazy?"

"Evil Santa."

He looked at him. "You're right, that's crazy."

"Yeah."

Kayla backed him up. "But there's an Anti-Claus in every culture, they just change the names. The idea is that Santa's brother went nutso and started punishing the wicked instead of bring presents to good boys and girls."

Dean looked between them. "So this is it. The theory is Santa's shady brother?"

Sam shrugged. "That's what the lore says."

"But Santa doesn't have a brother, there is no Santa."

"Yeah, I know. You're the one who told me that in the first place remember?"

"Aw, you told him there wasn't a Santa? That's so sad…"

"Well he was fifteen."

"I was not!" Sam shook his head. "Whatever, I could be wrong." He closed his laptop. "I must be wrong."

"Maybe, maybe not. I did find out that both guys visited the same place before they disappeared." Dean pulled a flyer out of the bag. "Santa's Village."


	2. Chapter 2

Santa's Village was more like a really poorly funded renaissance festival of Christmas paraphernalia. The pine trees were dying and turning brown, most the staff was drunk and the decorations were falling apart. Kayla looked around in distaste.

"I am completely against this whole anti-Santa thing. It's very…unseasonable."

Dean nodded. "I totally agree. You know, for ten bucks a head to get into this place you'd think Santa could muster up some snow. This isn't Christmasey at all. Speaking of which, we should have one this year."

"What?" Sam looked at each passing person.

"Christmas."

"Right, no thanks."

"What? Get a little tree, some Boston Market, just like when we were kids."

"Those aren't exactly Hallmark memories for me Dean."

"Why?"

"Because our Christmas wasn't what Christmas was supposed to be for kids."

Dean did feel a little guilty bringing it up; their Christmases sucked. He put an arm around Kayla's waist and pulled her to him. "Well we'll do it like it's supposed to be done, she knows. I bet your Christmases were awesome. Huh? Twenty foot tree, lights, decorations, big Christmas dinner with the family…" And now he brought up her parents. He was on a roll today.

Kayla stifled the painful memory of her parents death and shrugged slightly. "Christmas was always a big deal at our house."

"It should be." He tried to stay in the seasonal mood. "So what are we looking for?"

"Well, according to lore," Sam was quick to change the subject. "A guy with a limp that smells like sweets."

"So like a Santa Pimp."

They stopped to watch the kids in line, waiting to sit in Santa's lap. The Santa was reminiscent of the rest of the place; slightly drunk, gruff demeanor, kind of creepy. A girl in an elf costume came up to them cheerfully.

"Can I escort your child to Santa?"

"What? Um, no but my brother here, it's always been a life long dream of his." Dean pat Sam on the shoulder.

"Dean stop." Kayla shoved him. "He's kidding."

"We're just here to watch."

The girl looked at Sam. "Ew." She walked off in disgust.

"Thanks Dean, thanks for that."

Just then Santa got up and walked by them. With a limp. And smelled like candy. Dean looked at them.

"Are you seeing this?"

Sam shrugged. "Lots of people walk with limps."

"He smelled like candy."

"It was schnapps, it had to be."

Dean looked after the guy. "We're gonna have to tail him."


	3. Chapter 3

Stakeouts were about to become more interesting. Kayla was leaned back in passenger seat, relaxing as the thoughts ran through her head. She watched Dean in loving amusement as he bobbed his head to the radio, carelessly swirling the coffee around in its cheap gas station cup.

"You know what we've never done?"

"What?" He took a swig of the drink, strangely comforted by the bland but familiar taste.

"Had sex in your car."

He leaned forward and covered his mouth as the drink almost spit out; he didn't want to get it on the steering wheel.

"And with how obsessed you are with it, I'm a little surprised it never came up."

"Uh, because I thought you'd laugh in my face."

She reached over and took his drink, placing it back in the cup holder.

"I um," he stammered. "Watching, for uh…"

Kayla reached around him and pulled the lever to push his seat back before climbing into his lap. She kissed him softly as her hands slid over his shoulders. "What was that?"

"Nothing." He ran his hands up her thighs. Stakeouts were awesome.

Late that night Santa finally showed his face when he went to close his curtains. He was still wearing his Santa hat. Moments later screaming was heard from his trailer.

Dean grabbed his gun. "Showtime."

They rushed the trailer, kicking in the door on the way in. The guy was sitting in his recliner in his boxers and wife-beater, vodka in one hand and remote in the other. The screaming that was heard? Porn on the TV. Of course.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He demanded, drunken.

They looked at each other. Damn.

"Uh," Dean started singing. "Silent night…holy night…"

She joined him as they slowly backed out of the trailer. As they jogged back to the Impala they both started laughing.

"Ok so maybe he's not our guy."

Dean laughed. "Thinking not." They got into the car. "Still a good idea with the steak out. I know _I_ had fun."


	4. Chapter 4

The following morning they headed out to the scene of another murder. This one was a little more brutal; the guy did come down the chimney but he actually went upstairs and pulled dad out of bed screaming. In front of the family's son, he jerked dad up the chimney. Mom never saw the attacker because she was knocked out, but the kid said he was Santa Claus. Even ate one of the cookies left out for him.

The only commonality Sam found was the Christmas wreath hanging on the front door; it matched the one hanging on the last house. When they got back to the room, Sam immediately called Bobby to fill him in on the details.

"Thanks Bobby." Sam hung up the phone. "Well we're not dealing with the anti-Claus."

"What'd he say?"

"That we're morons."

Kayla smiled. "See? He's always so optimistic."

Sam continued. "He also said that it's probably Meadow Sweet in those wreaths. It's pretty rare, and probably the most powerful plant in Pagan lore."

"Pagan?"

"Yeah, they used it in human sacrifice. The Meadow Sweet would lure their Gods in and they would eat whatever human was closest."

"Ew."

"Why would someone use that in Christmas wreaths?"

"Most Christmas traditions are Pagan. The yule log, the tree, the red suit, it's all remnants of Pagan worship."

Kayla shook her head. "You are totally ruining Christmas."

"You're such a Grinch." Dean agreed. "What are you gonna tell me next? The Easter Bunny is Jewish?"

"I think we're probably dealing with the Pagan God of winter solstice. You know what he gives you in exchange for human sacrifice?" They looked at him. "Mild weather."

Dean glanced out the window. "Like no snow in the middle of winter, in Michigan."

"For example."

"Well if someone is setting people up for sacrifice, we need to find out who." He stood and headed for the door. "Kayla why don't you check out the internet, see if any of these local stores have them online. We'll run around town."

"Sounds good." She was kind of glad he suggested it; she had plans of her own.


	5. Chapter 5

After talking to a local shop owner and finding out the wreaths were made by a local woman, Dean dropped Sam off the hotel to do a little more research while he spoke with the woman who made the wreaths.

Sam went into the room but stopped at the door. Christmas lights outlined the windows and the scent of gingerbread drifted from the candles on the table. Kayla looked back as he shut the door but continued stringing up garland. He dropped his bag on the bed.

"What are you doing?" He sounded angry, spiteful even.

"Putting up decorations."

"Yeah thanks." He stood next to her, watching as she made another semi circle. "Why?"

"Because Dean wants decorations."

"So what?" He pulled the garland down, easily jerking the tabs loose.

"Sam!"

"We're working! He can have decorations next year!"

"And what if he can't?!" She bit back the threatening tears. "What if he can't, you're going to deprive him of his last Christmas because you can't accept it?"

"He also wants to have sex with every hot girl he lays his eyes on but you seem pretty eager to deprive him of that!"

She busied herself putting the garland back up. "You're an asshole."

"Stop!" He pulled it back down. "I can't do this. I can't just sit around and drink eggnog and pretend like everything's ok when I know he'll be gone!"

She threw down the rest of the line of garland and walked away from him. "You're the one who wanted him to give a shit and he does. He wants to do things right, _why_ would you take that from him?"

"Because I…I don't know!"

"He's come to terms with it, in the sense that we're still going to try. We have to too."

Sam sighed quietly and shook his head. "Ok." She was still visibly upset and he started putting the garland back up himself. "Come on, we'll put up decorations."

She wiped her eyes and straightened out the line.

"I can't believe you called me an asshole." He paused. "I don't think you've called me anything, ever."

"There's a first time for everything." She glanced at him as she taped down a section. "I didn't hurt your feelings did I?"

He shrugged. "I'm sorry."

"I get why you don't want to have a Christmas, ok? I do. But you have to get why I want to give it to him."

Sam nodded; because she wanted to give his brother the world and she was running out of time to do it in. He helped her put up the rest of the decorations.

When Dean came back awhile later he also stopped at the door. They watched him take it all in as he set dinner down on the table. The tree, fully decorated in the corner. The lights, the garland, the candles, it sure as hell looked like Christmas.

Dean looked at Kayla with a grin. "This is freaking sweet babe, did you do this?"

She smiled at his response. "Sam helped."

"Yeah?" He hugged her. "This looks like a Hallmark card, it's awesome."

"I'm glad you like it."

Sam didn't want to get too far into the Christmas spirit. "I did background on that couple. They lived near Chicago last year where two disappearances occurred right around Christmas. They moved here in January."

Dean nodded as he took another look around. "I guess we should check them out. Let's eat, give it some time to get dark, we'll head over there."


	6. Chapter 6

From the outside _and_ the inside, the Carrigan's home looked like what Santa's Village should have looked like. They were definitely in the Christmas spirit. When they went downstairs, it looked more like Halloween. The basement was a regular house of horrors complete with body parts, blood, gore and power tools. Ugh.

Kayla watched as Sam approached a red bag that was hanging from the ceiling. He wasn't really sure he wanted to know what was in it, but he had to check. Maybe someone had survived their abduction. When he reached out to touch the bag, it started moving. The man yelling startled her, but before she could react she blacked out.

:: ::

Her head was throbbing. Around her she heard the sounds typical of a kitchen, like a meal was being prepared. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Dean and Sam, tied back to back in their chairs. Dean made eye contact with her and shook his head, mouthing for her to close her eyes again.

She didn't need to see this. They'd both been cut on the arm for the blood and he had a feeling it wasn't the worst to happen.

Mr. Carrigan spoke. "You boys have no idea how lucky you are. Why, there was a time when kids came from miles around just to be sitting where you are."

Sam eyed the pliers in his hand. "What are you doing with those?"

"If you fudging touch me again I'll fudging kill you!"

_Did Dean just say fudging?_ Kayla started working on her ties, she winced when she heard Dean cry out in pain.

Sam watched as the man put the pliers against his finger, nothing was going to keep him from yelling out as his fingernail was removed whole.

Mrs. Carrigan mixed the nail in with the blood, still cheerful as ever. "What else dear?"

"Nail, blood, ah!" He tapped himself on the head. "Sweet peter on a popsicle stick, I almost forgot the tooth!" He went over to Dean with the plyers.

"Merry Christmas Sam." Dean muttered. He groaned in response.

"Open up."

Kayla opened her eyes and saw him put the tool in Dean's mouth, her stomach lurched. "Oh my God please don't." Her ties were undone, but how far could she get when the guys were still bound to the chairs?

"Kayla shut up."

"Oh dear, that's no way to talk to a lady. Sweetheart just hang on, we have plans for you."

The doorbell rang, Dean sighed in relief. "You gonna get that? Seriously, you should get that."

They left the room. Kayla tossed the ropes off of her and quickly cut the guys from the chairs. As the conversation at the door came to an end they went into the living room, as the Carrigan's went back into the kitchen they closed the doors on them.

Dean blocked his door with a drawer and went to Sam and Kayla's side. "What now? The evergreen stakes are in the basement!"

"Well we need more evergreen Dean." He motioned to the Christmas Tree. "I think I just found some more."

Kayla pushed the china cabinet in front of the door. Sam and Dean knocked the tree to the ground and tore it to pieces, finding anything with a sharp edge. Dean tossed her a branch.

Everything was quiet for a moment and they braced themselves. Mr. Carrigan charged Dean and knocked him to the ground, Kayla thrust her branch down but the wife grabbed her wrist. While they struggled, Sam stabbed the woman through the back.

"Madge!" The husband cried out and Dean took care of him too. So long Pagan Gods.

Sam brushed his hands off. "Merry Christmas."


	7. Chapter 7

"Be careful!" Sam winced.

"I'm trying to!" She wrapped his finger securely and taped the bandage. "I gotta hand it to you Sam, I would have cried like a little girl if someone pulled my whole fingernail out."

"Yeah well I definitely considered it."

Dean came in cheerfully and grinned. "Got the beer!"

Kayla laughed. "'Cause it's just not Christmas without the beer."

"You're damn right." He set it on the table and nodded to Sam. "All bandaged up there sweetheart?"

He shot him a look. "Try it sometime, it feels great."

"I'll take your word for it." Dean sat on the couch with an arm extended, Kayla sat in next to him and handed him a glass.

"I don't think you'll need the beer though, Sam makes a mean eggnog."

He took a swallow and laughed. "Yeah, that's some good stuff. But first things first." He handed Sam two bags.

Christmas presents. Sam shook his head and took the bags before handing him one of his own. "Great minds think alike." He peeled open the newspaper wrapping and laughed. "Skin mags! Alright, and shaving cream."

"I know its just peach fuzz now, but soon you'll be a man." Dean smirked and held up Sam's gifts-motor oil and an Airhead. "Fuel for me and fuel for my baby."

"Of course."

Dean kissed Kayla on the forehead and pulled her in to whisper, "We'll do the gift thing tonight huh? When we're alone." She smiled at him.

Sam watched them a moment, trying to push the idea that this was one of the last great memories they would have together. As much as he tried to fight it, his eyes tears up and he cleared his throat.

"You wanna watch the game?"

"Absolutely."

That night Dean pulled the bedroom door shut behind him as Kayla sat on the bed. He was nervous about giving her anything, he'd never really done it before. With a nervous smile he reached into his pocket and pulled out a closed fist, when he opened his hand a silver ring rolled across his palm.

Her mouth dropped slightly, it was about the last thing she expected to see in Dean Winchester's hand. It was a beautiful ring, a silver band with three emerald stones.

"Your birthstone, right?" Everything about the way he said it said 'this is _not_ an engagement ring'.

"Yeah, Dean, I love it." She slipped it on her hand, it even fit. "Where did you get this?"

"A jewelry store, of course."

She looked at him a moment. "Did you steal this?" He shrugged and she laughed. "That's um, it's turning me on I have to tell you." She grinned and lowered her voice. "Speaking of which, I'll give you a hint on your gift…" She held up the Victoria's Secret bag.

"How did you know?!" He smirked and kissed her firmly, outside the door he heard the TV turn up louder.

_Authors Note: Coming up on Tuesday...an original episode...Dancing with the Devil!_


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